Is developers’ donation rooted in its Flower Mart ambitions?

Eco-minded florist Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers sourcing her flowers at the San Francisco Flower Mart in San Francisco, Calif., while looking at purple kale on Thursday, February 2, 2012. She sources locally grown flowers and plants. less

Eco-minded florist Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers sourcing her flowers at the San Francisco Flower Mart in San Francisco, Calif., while looking at purple kale on Thursday, February 2, 2012. She sources ... more

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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Erin Renne of Rossi & Rovetti Flowers shops for flowers at Torchio Nursery at the Flower Mart in San Francisco, CA, Thursday, July 24, 2014.

Erin Renne of Rossi & Rovetti Flowers shops for flowers at Torchio Nursery at the Flower Mart in San Francisco, CA, Thursday, July 24, 2014.

Photo: Michael Short, The Chronicle

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L.A.-based Kilroy Realty Corp., which is trying to develop office towers at San Francisco's Flower Mart, is a major "host city'' sponsor of this year's U.S. Conference of Mayors

L.A.-based Kilroy Realty Corp., which is trying to develop office towers at San Francisco's Flower Mart, is a major "host city'' sponsor of this year's U.S. Conference of Mayors

Photo: Andrew Ross, SF Chronicle

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Erin Newman of Grant K. Gibson Interior Design shops for flowers at Torchio Nursery at the Flower Mart in San Francisco, CA, Thursday, July 24, 2014.

Erin Newman of Grant K. Gibson Interior Design shops for flowers at Torchio Nursery at the Flower Mart in San Francisco, CA, Thursday, July 24, 2014.

Photo: Michael Short, The Chronicle

Is developers’ donation rooted in its Flower Mart ambitions?

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San Francisco raised more than $4 million to host the U.S. Conference of Mayors this weekend, and one of the biggest donors to the four-day confab was a Southern California outfit that has its eye on capturing one of the city’s biggest real estate prizes.

Kilroy Realty Corp. of Los Angeles, which pitched in $750,000 to the host committee, is working to win city approval for a 4-acre office development on the site of the Flower Mart at Sixth and Brannan streets South of Market.

The company has spent more than $70 million to purchase the property, but is still in talks with longtime flower vendors who fear they’ll be displaced. The vendors are threatening to go to the ballot to try to stop the development unless they’re assured of staying.

Kilroy Realty hosted the mayors conference’s opening event Thursday night at its downtown rooftop terrace. Kilroy’s hefty donation has also earned the company prominent billing — right behind the other big event donor, Salesforce — on promotional materials and on banners all over town welcoming the mayors to San Francisco.

None of which sits well with former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, a critic of Mayor Ed Lee. Peskin called the Kilroy kick-in “highly inappropriate,” considering the business that the real estate firm has pending before the city.

“That’s ridiculous,” shot back mayoral press secretary Christine Falvey. “People have been working hard to raise funds and make sure that city taxpayers weren’t left on the hook.” And they won’t be on the hook, she said, “because of the great generosity of the leaders of San Francisco.’’

The mayoral confab money is just the latest Kilroy donation to Lee’s pet causes. A couple of years back, the company gave $1 million to help host the America’s Cup festivities. At the time, Kilroy was seeking (and eventually got) a city variance to add six floors to its 350 Mission St. high-rise, which has been fully leased to Salesforce.

The same convergence of business, politics and civic philanthropy was on display at the City Hall centennial dinner celebration Friday.

The city put up $1.6 million for a new LED light system that bathed City Hall alternately in the colors of the Giants’ orange and black, the 49ers’ red and gold, and the Warriors’ blue and gold — plus the rainbow colors of the upcoming Pride Parade.

Private donors were asked to cover a $400,000 light show that featured images of undulating fog and other San Francisco icons rolling across the exterior of City Hall.

As recently as last week, the mayor’s office was still looking for corporate help to pay for $2.2 million in City Hall touch-ups, including $300,000 to repaint peeled portions of the Rotunda ceiling and roof.

But a big chunk of money has already rolled in.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which is battling to keep green-energy competition out of the city, contributed $150,000.

Phillips North America, winner of the $1.6 million competitive bid to install an energy-efficient lighting system for City Hall, gave $10,000 to the centennial celebration.

Lennar Urban, which is building the Hunters Point Shipyard and Treasure Island developments, contributed $25,000 apiece toward both the centennial celebration and the mayors conference.

“We believe great cities do great things, and we are happy to be part of a great city and be a good corporate citizen,” said Lennar Urban President Kofi Bonner.

Gavin’s world: From same-sex marriage to climate change, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a healthy record of being at the forefront of cutting-edge issues — and most recently he has been zeroing in on student loans.

“Since last year, nearly 1 million more borrowers have fallen behind on their student loan payments — and for no good reason,” Newsom told supporters in a recent e-mail.

“Here’s how we’ll fix it: The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act would give much-needed relief to millions of borrowers, allowing them, finally, to refinance at a lower rate. We need to make it a priority today in Washington.”

The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and co-sponsored in the House by Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove (Sacramento County), would allow millions of student-loan debtors to refinance loans at less than 4 percent interest. It’s going nowhere in the Republican-controlled Congress.

“Will you join me in calling on Congress to pass this legislation for our student borrowers?” Newsom asked.

And if you happen to have a couple of extra bucks, you also could click the accompanying big red “contribute” button and donate $5 to $500 (or more) toward Newsom’s 2018 campaign for governor.

Worth repeating: From oft-vandalized Oakland shopkeeper Ali Silmi, speaking to a Chronicle reporter as he boarded up the front windows of his Metro PCS shop at Broadway and Ninth Street ahead of the Warriors victory street celebration: “We always have to board up for negativity. It’s nice to board up for positivity.”

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross